How Things Were
by OneLastRefrain
Summary: Finally got to writing another chapter! Thanks for all the reviews and if you want more, you know what to do. Bosco angst story about finding out who you really are.
1. Prologe Chapter 1 Part1

**Title: _How Things Were_**

**Summary: _Bosco angst story about finding out who you really are. Later, Faith reveals a deep secret to Bosco. What will the secret be? Will he be able to keep it? Or will his life erupt out of control before he gets a chance to understand about himself, and life morals._**

**Author: _Nikki_******

**Rating:_ PG-13_**

**Spoilers: _None that I could think of now._**

**Disclaimer:_ I own none of the Third Watch characters, claimed by NBC producers._**

_Prologue_

Fear hit me over the head as I heard someone scream my name. "BOSCO!" I wasn't sure what was happening as I was revealed to a strain of blackness. I hated the dark for as long as I could remember, but that didn't matter anymore. I had no way out. 

*~Flashback~*

It had been a long and tiring day. Everything had changed in the matter of weeks since I had moved to Anti-Crime. Life was starting to hit rock bottom with Faith as it is, I don't suppose me working with Cruz made the situation much better. Well whatever, It's time for her to realize I'm not a kid anymore. She can't protect me from the big bad Cruz. I didn't want her to. For once I felt independent, on my own. I felt like I could conquer the world. I loved the adrenaline rush of Anti-Crime. And lets just say, working with Ritza, wasn't a flaw. Well at least, I didn't think so.

The light from the moon was swallowed up and washed away as we entered into a long hall in a small shack. Well it appeared to be small at least. I gazed around in a panic as I searched for any sign of movement, sound, or light. The only thing that seemed to be blasting in my ears was the rhythm of my quickened heart beat pounding against my chest. Even if Cruz was standing in front of me, I don't think I would have seen her. The inky air made me gasps for oxygen constantly, trying to take in more then I could, it didn't seem to feel right. I could tell we were getting close, really close now, the stench of drugs and pot lingered in my nostrils. My eyes were watering and stinging at the same time as I rubbed them, what the hell was this? It seemed as if this room was filled with cut onion. I didn't say anything as I crashed into a wall, turning immediately, resting my back at the coolness. I was in a hot sweat. _Cruz..where__ the hell are you? I asked myself as I listened closely for any sign. _Dam nit, hit something, let me know I didn't lose you bitch!_  I scowled in my mind as I took a deep wheezing breath. The aroma of the room was making me nauseas. _

I heard some commotion in the other room as something hit the wall behind me, with a hard impact. _Shit! I cursed in my mind. _

"Cruz?!" I hissed angrily looking around the area, or at least attempting. 

"Shh..that's not me Boz." I heard her mutter back to me reassuringly as a few foot steps came from my left. _Thank god._ I thought shifting my weight to my other leg, the metallic feeling of my pistol holstered made me feel safe. 

I could feel her presence next to me, her shoulder on mine; as I tried to make out her shadowy image. 

"My count," She said in a whisper as I nodded, knowing damn well she couldn't see me. "Bosco? You okay?" I heard her mutter. My head was spinning.

"Yeah, yeah, let's go!" I hissed to her reaching for my gun, I unholstered it and drew it to my side. Startled by the gun shots in the next room his heart raced as an adrenaline rush raged though his veins. Finding the door, a small glisten of light shone though the hall, Cruz looked at me nervously, a tense expression on her face. "1, 2, 3!" She didn't pause, not once, said the numbers and kicked the door down before it was too late and they found us. The bright light scorned my eyes. After a minute of pure blindness I found myself face to face with a gun.

TBC. Sorry the chapters so short. I'll be updating this ASAP. 


	2. Chapter 1 Part 2

Author's Note: Thanks to those who reviewed. Here's the 2nd chapter. I already wrote several more so the quicker you review, the quicker they are uploaded.

I came face to face with the head of the gun, dropping mine on the floor, startled as hell. _Wow, didn't expect that coming now did you Bosco? The guy had me in a head lock as I fought trying to escape. It was no use; the guy must have been nearly twice my size. The head of the gun was digging into my temple as I continued to attempt an escape. "What the hell? What the hell?" I muttered as the other arm gripped around my neck blocking off my air for a second or so. I heard Cruz cursing to the left of me. Catching a glimpse of a guy doing the same to her, his arm around her neck as he pushed her head back, the gun digging deeper and deeper into her forehead, I started to panic as the guy pushed me down, as I slid a few feet across the floor until I collided with the wall. I came face to face with a pale face of a young guy. Maybe seventeen, eighteen years old at the most, he had bruises scaring his face, a severe gun shot in his chest. _

"Oh shit!" I cursed at the fall; my arm twisted and throbbed with pain as I looked over to the 'kid.' He didn't respond in anyway, didn't even blink. _Was he dead? _I didn't want to find out as I looked back up at the guy, his gun aimed at me. Cruz continued a fight, the guys hand wrapped around her mouth so she couldn't speak. I looked at my gun on the floor. _Way too far away, I thought as the guy followed my glance and kicked it even further with his foot. I looked back over to the guy not knowing much what more to do, I pushed him lightly by his shoulder, and he fell over dead cold. I stood up, this guy was a murder, and I knew well enough he wasn't going to hesitate to kill another, especially two loser ass cops. _

"Listen, man, put the gun down." I said calmly putting my hands in the air in surrender. The guy just looked at me with a smirk sprawled across his face. Maritza stopped her struggle, standing there, still in the others grasp. Her gun was now in the younger guys hands. Both guys looked like total bombs, sunken red stroked eyes, and messy blonde hair, close to mind. The one who held the gun to be was older, my guess, around forty or so, the younger guy, twenty? The younger one who grasped Cruz tightly looked at me, a confused expression on his face. 

"What we going to do now huh? What we going to do now?!" The younger one cried out in terror as he looked to the older one. Cruz had an uneasy expression on her face; she showed no fear as the gun scraped her head.

"You're going to put the gun down and listen to what we have to say." She managed in a choked voice as he dug it deeper in her temple now, digging into her flesh; she flinched in pain and tension. She watched me across the room like a deer caught in headlights, her pleading eyes almost begging me to do something. I didn't know what. 

"Listen, guys, put the guns down." I said walking forward a few feet towards the one with the gun to me. His blank expression turned to angry. 

"Do not move! I'll shoot ya! I will! I'll shoot your brains out!" He yelled at me as I stopped dead in my tracks. The young guy let out a small cry as Cruz hit him, kneed him, or whatever, where it hurt the most. He dropped the gun on the floor as she broke lose trying to grasp it; however, the hit wasn't too great. The guy slammed Cruz against the wall, holding her up by her throat; she made some choking sound as she fought to get down. 

_That was it. No-body did that to Cruz and got away with it._ Dashing to my left I slammed into the guy as he fell backwards, I tackled on top of him fighting for the gun. A few shots of struggle were fired as Cruz fell to the ground in a heap. 

"Get off me man!" The guy yelled as we wrestled on the floor, he dropped the gun as I got it in my own, jumping off of him and looking to the older one, a confused expression on his face. He had his gun on me, I had mine at his. None of us were going to back out. _Hell I would.  I thought as my finger held down the trigger slowly, a little more each second._

Cruz was coming back to reality as she attempted to sit up, leaning back on the wall. I wasn't sure what happened in the next few minutes because it all happened so fast. I remember the younger guy getting up, a small blade in hand. Some one grabbed my head back as I yelped in shock. Cruz screamed in fear as sharp pain throbbed though my head as both guns went off.


	3. Chapter 1 Part 3

Everything was pitch black as I felt dizzy, like I was running in circles. Sweat streamed down my face as I started to regain consciousness. Everything was still black as I felt heat rage though my body. _Was I on fire?_ I felt someone at my side, next to my left. My head was rolled back on my shoulder on to the wall. Not sure where I was and what had happened I slit my eyes open slowly. I coughed weakly using all my strength to turn my head. Cruz was sitting beside me, dried blood from her temple down her pale face. Her eyes stared in front of us, she didn't look at me, didn't realize I was conscious as my eyes rolled back. Pain struck my eyes, that stinging pain boiling in my blood. My hand raised slowly to my forehead as I brought it back down to my eye level, blood smeared across my fingers. I moaned lightly as she came back looking at me.

I stirred slightly as she looked over at me. Her arm clutching her shoulder as I was able to make out blood, smeared down her arm and hand where she was holding her wound tightly. As I caught her eyes she looked away slowly back to the ground. I realized she wasn't just shot in her arm but her thigh as well. She rested her head back on the wall; all color was lost from her lips. She didn't say anything as she stared out into space.

"Say something." I said looking over to her. She didn't respond. As my hand rubbed over my head I flinched at a large bump. Surely I was bashed in the head. My guess, they dragged us where ever we were now. It was a different room, smaller then the other. The room's air was thick as I coughed again, wheezing for more air then the room could hold. I tried to turn, ignoring the pain facing Maritza. 

"They got me two times; you got hit over the head and lost the gun." She said out of no where. 

"Can you move your leg at all?" I asked her taking off my small jacket, there had to be a way to stop the blood flow. Judging by the pool of blood surrounding her, she lost too much too fast.

"I don't want to find out." She replied biting on her lip as I lifted her leg slightly to move my jacket under it, tying it tightly over the wound. "Shit." Was all the escaped her lips at the shots pain, her color loss was starting to worry me, she looked pale as a ghost. Taking her hand off the shoulder wound, it wasn't as bad as her leg; the blood flow was stopping now. Putting her hand back on it I tried to stand.

"How the hell are we going to get of here...?" I scowled under my breath as I looked around the barely lit room. Only a small light bulb hung from the center of the room. It flicked making a horrible dying sound. Knowing she didn't know the answer I checked the door. It was obviously locked from the outside as I pounded on the wall with my fists. "Yo jag-offs!!" I yelled. No reply. _Oh this was great, just great. I continued to hit the door, after a few minutes I slumped down across from Maritza Cruz, leaning my back on the door. I was weak and tired. The room was spinning as it is. She stared at me, silently. _God, please let us get out of here, alive. What did she do to deserve this?_ I asked myself closing my eyes trying to make it all go away. I was terrified. The pain was taking over my head as I felt myself falling, falling deeper and deeper into the darkness. __No, Bosco, don't give up. I thought as I struggled to keep my eyes open. Then out of nowhere I thought about Faith. __I have to make it, I have to see her one last time. To say goodbye. I had treated her like shit the past few weeks and I knew it. Selfishness hit over me as I thought I was going to die. _Bosco, man, your not the one shot here, do this for Cruz, if you leave her, she'll be dead. You can't do this, not now, don't. _ I heard Cruz mutter something unclear, most likely in Spanish, and that was the last thing I remembered as I slipped away._

TBC…Sorry its short, keep the reviews coming and Ill keep updating.


	4. Chapter 1 Part 4

"5-5 David We got two anti-crime officers non-responsive off 14th Arthur." The radio repeated.

"5-5 David copy off 15th," Faith muttered into the radio as she switched on the sirens speeding down the street. 

"Wasn't Bosco working on Anti-Crime?" The idiot Gulser asked in the passenger seat fiddling with his seat belt. 

"Yeah, only for the twentieth time," She sighed. Talking to Gulser was like talking to a wall, he didn't seem to comprehend much, not anything at all to come to think of it. Maybe working with Bosco was a whole lot better. At least he listened. Well, most of the time. The truth was she didn't know how she felt about Bosco. It bugged her that he chose Cruz over her. That bitch was a good for nothing whore, if you asked her. She knew that it was better for the both of them to take some time apart, but as the days went on, she felt herself falling further and further away from him. She didn't want to lose Bosco as a friend but the words he had said to her about her not being a good mother, hurt. Hell it hurt a lot. He didn't have the right to say anything in that sort to her. After all, he wasn't a choir boy as it was.

Her heart was racing as they approached the small junk house. It was a quarter after ten and the moons dim light was there only source beside the junkie flashlights they held up. _Please god, let Bosco be alright. She thought. If he wasn't, how would she live with herself? Taking off her gun from her belt she headed up to the door. _

"What the hell?" She muttered, Gulser behind her as he looked around nervously. 

"The doors locked?" Gulser asked dumbly. I gave him a shut-up-look.

"Try barricaded." Faith replied banging on the door, shifting my weight, it didn't budge. _What the hell happened? "Bosco?" Faith yelled loudly banging her fists on the door. There was no way they were getting in here, alone. "Damn it!" She said turned to Gulser. "5-5 David requesting back-up and administration at this location," She said into it._

"5-5 Charlie copy request for David. We are on our way" The radio repeated as I looked back to the small junk house. _Don't worry Bosco; we'll get you out of there._

Shifting as I came out of a daze I woke up to hysterical cries of Maritza Cruz. Some sirens were in the distance and were getting closer. I could swear I heard muffle cries of Faith yelling my name but I figured it was my head as I slit open my eyes. Loud bags were heard in the other room. Tears were streamed down her ghostly face as I took a bearing of my surroundings. She was crying a blend of Spanish and English, her head still back against the wall, she looked worse since I had passed out. I stood up slowly and walked over to her side slowly, keeping my stability. 

"Cruz." I took her free hand into the palm of mine. She was burning up. I rubbed the back of my hand along her damp forehead. She felt like she was on fire. 

"Ritza," I said softly trying to comfort her. My jacket was now soaked with blood, full to capacity. She didn't reply to me at first, opening her eyes slowly. She didn't seem to realize who I was at first, looking at me blankly though her weary eyes. 

"She's dead, Littie, she's dead!" She cried, tears pouring out of her eyes. "I saw her! I-I, she was dead Bosco, dead in my arms." She was falling apart before my very eyes. The strong Maritza Cruz was breaking. 

"Shh..Ritza, c'mon, it's okay, you're going to be alright." I murmured to her. 

"No, no, it hurts, the pain, its hurts!" She continued to cry. I looked around frantically. I had no idea what to do. I was losing her. 

"Please, Cruz, you're strong, I know how strong you are, okay? Hold on, please, for me, just hold on!" I yelled at her, feeling guilty afterwards. Tears were ready to erupt from my own eyes. I couldn't stand seeing her this way, I couldn't understand that she was dieing and here I was, clueless. 

"She didn't care! She walked away from me that damn bitch! I hope she burns in hell! You hear me? I want her to burn in hell! Bosco!" She yelled. Man, she was delirious as I pushed her damp hair out of her face. "I'd kill that bitch! I swear I would!" She continued ranting.

"Don't waste your breath," I told her even though she didn't seem to care as she wept in tears. For a second, I swear the tears were bloody, after blinking a few times I realized it was my eyes, the dried blood on her face under the wet tears. 

"Please, Bosco, damn it you son of a bitch! Listen to me!" She continued looking at me with widened angry eyes. I became silent staring at her. She wanted to tell me something, I had no clue what.

"After all this, go into my place, my top drawer in my bedroom, there's something I want you to take for me, keep it safe, okay? Would you do that for me?" She was nearly begging. I shook my head. _No, no, no…_

"You're not going to die! You hear me? You're not going anywhere!" I yelled at her shaking her slightly. Her face turned into a twisted pout, the tears were now giving back. She had used up all her energy, I could see it.

"There's something in there for you, it's yours, now. I want you to have it, hide it okay? Don't tell anybody about it though. Please, Bosco, do that, would ya, just for now, do that for me." She rambled on her eyes starting to close.

"Please, stay awake okay? Please, Cruz, I'm warning you, don't close your eyes!" I told her my hand cupped her cheek as I stood up leaving her side for a brief minute walking back over to the door.

"Damn you asses!! If you don't get her out of here, she's going to die?! You hear me!!?? Do you want to be another murderer?! Let her go!!! Please damn it, mother fuckers!!" I yelled my rage exploding as I screamed at the top of my lungs.

 I had a feeling it was muffled by the cries of Maritza but I didn't care. Her crying made me feel better; I knew she was still awake. I slammed my fists on the door with all my might. 

"Someone, anyone, help her!! Please!!" I shouted collapsing on the wall, my head was pounding, my throat was swollen, and I coughed for air. I surely had something wrong with me, the bump obviously wasn't helping. I didn't care who heard me screaming, I had to get her out of here. 

"I swear to god! Come here and Ill kick your fucking ass you jag-offs!" I cursed hysterically. Tears were spilling from my eyes from rage, anger, and fear. I took one more blow at the door as someone opened it. Needless to say, I collided into them, sending them back against the floor. 

TBC…keep the reviews coming guys! Thanks for all the positive feedback. Remember, quicker you review, quicker you get the story. ^^


	5. Chapter 2 Part1

I lied there motionless staring up at the wall. _I had a severe concussion, no shit. If you got hit in the head with the barrel of a gun, you would too._ My mind was racing with thoughts as I thought about what was going on in the other room. I heard a loud commotion thought-out the pleasant halls of Mercy hospital. I wanted to find out how Cruz was. 

_The last I remember was seeing Faith looking down at me, telling me it was going to be okay. I believed her. Then everything blacked out again. I was told I would be blacking out on occasion for the next few weeks. Wasn't that great?_ They'd give me some medication but I was told to be put on desk duty for the next month. 

_Oh how exciting. I can't wait for that thrill a minute._ I didn't much care how I was, I could be dead for all I cared, and I needed to know if Maritza had pulled though. 

_I swear I'd have a fit if she didn't, I mean, the selfishness I had. She had no right to die, none at all, Zippo, nada._ I waited impatiently for news. 'Only one person at a time,' I heard in the hall. Oh _I must be in ICU then, wonderful, just great, could this day just get much better? I heard my door open and close as Faith walked in._

"Hey, how you doing?" She asked standing next to me side. I turned my head to look at her.

"Just great," I muttered sarcastically. "She's okay right? She's alright?" I asked quickly. Faith gave me a confused look not fully understanding what I was talking about. "Cruz, Maritza, she's alright?" I asked quickly. _Damn it Faith, give me an answer!_

I watched her expression turned softer to me. _Oh god, are you shiting me?_  "Bosco, we don't know yet, she's still in surgery," She paused, "She lost a lot of blood Boz." She replied touching my hand as I pulled it back. 

"No, she has to be okay, she's going to be okay, and she's strong." I replied more to myself then her. _She'd be okay, I know she will. That's all we said to each other. I forgot everything I wanted to tell her. __I guess when you're at the edge of dieing, you realize how much you want to say before you die. That's when I remembered, Cruz told me to go into her drawer, she never told me what to look for, and I guess I'd know. _

Faith nodded to me. "I'm sorry Boz, for everything." She let out a sunken sigh as she sat down in the chair next to me. I looked at her.

"Don't say you're sorry, don't you dare," I choked out with a small cough. I could still smell the stench of Meth in my nose. "You have nothing to say to me Faith, that's all." I replied cold heartedly. _How could I just say that to Faith, my best friend, my partner? Well I did._ She looked at me standing up brushing her hands on her jeans.

"Yeah, I shouldn't say I'm sorry, because I'm not. You don't want to believe me about that, that," she paused. I knew what she was going to say, that bitch, that low life Cruz. It made me furious that she couldn't even admit, Maritza Cruz is a human being, alive as you and me. She wouldn't.

"Say it, say it Faith." I taunted her. "Just say it!" I hissed. She gave me a disgusted look and stalked to the door. As she opened it up she looked at me quickly,

"You'll be sorry, Bosco." She said and with that last 'cheerful' note, she was gone.

TBC…Sorry the chapters were so short, but hey, then there's more to wait for.. lol


	6. Chapter 2 Part2

It was nearly a week after the incident. I hadn't spoken to Faith. I did expect her to call, like she usually did when we were in fights, but maybe she didn't care anymore. _I didn't have time to deal with her now anyway. _I didn't care what she said about me or Cruz anymore._ Something in the back of her mind told me she was just trying to help me and perhaps she's right this time, but I ignored it. I was a complete wreck and hell, I knew it. I didn't want to think about anything. I had stayed in 'hell', or in better words, the hospital for a few days. I had a few minor blackouts but nothing really serious. They were getting to be less current as the days moved on, and the bump on the top of my head eventually swelled down. _

Cruz was doing alright though she would be in the hospital for sometime longer for another week. I visited her every other day when I got a chance, to see how she was doing and all. I remembered about the conversation I had with her after she was shot. In that small room, she was out of it, delirious from the fever, due to the amount of blood that she had lost. We must have been in there for at least seven hours or so. I went to ask about it but I shrugged it off. She never brought it up again. I wasn't too much sure if she had made sense about the thing for me in her drawer but I decided to check it out anyway. _What did I have to lose?_

Unlocking the door with the key, I was given, to her apartment; it looked abandoned as I observed the area. The aroma of the sweet sent of floral hit me as I walked a few feet in closing the door behind me. Her place was bigger then mine, yet it had a cozy sense to it. Candles were scattered on some tables and ever here and there, and I had to admit, it looked quite fancy. Walking though the apartment I headed to her bedroom where her drawer was. Tossing my jacket on the side I took a deep breath, I had no clue what I was about to see. I had a feeling, I didn't want to. I looked in the mirror and took a good look at myself, and what I had become. I realized I hadn't evolved much from where I had first joined the NYPD. I was still the same old Bosco, the one guy who never makes the right decisions, the one who's always in the way, and the pesky fly that never goes away. The same Bosco who screws everyone's life up, and destroys the lives of the ones he loves. _Hobart was right, I guess. That was me and I guessed that's how I was always going to be, whether I liked it or not, interfering with others lives, Faith for example. _But wait, this wasn't about Faith was it? No, this was about Maritza._ Snapping out of the small daze I had caught myself in, I took a hold of the top drawer and opened it. I nearly blacked out by what I saw, as I stood there, stunned in complete shock. _Was she kidding me?__

There it sat, exposed to the world as I stared at it trying to comprehend everything. I picked it up slowly and carefully as the sandy substance moved into the creases of my hand still secured in the clear plastic bag. _What the hell was I suppose to get out of this?_ I asked myself as my eyes locked on it; I found it harder and harder to tear them away. _What the hell was Cruz doing with nearly ½ pound of cocaine?! I dropped it back into the drawer after a second and closed it. __Holey shit, Bosco. It all seemed so familiar for some reason. _Didn't Faith once tell him something, something about drugs and Cruz? _I didn't want to believe it then and now there it was, I saw it with my very own eyes, a bag of coke in Cruz's apartment. I had to find out what this meant, I had to talk to Faith, and I needed to know what the hell was going on. Then I remembered what Faith had said to me the last time we met. _You'll be sorry Bosco _the words hissed in my ears much like they had did that day at the hospital. _Perhaps she knew about this who scenario, maybe she knew something about Cruz that I didn't._ __Do you think Faith knew about the coke? Not only did I want to know 'why?' I wanted to know why she had never told me. I had no idea what this meant, why did Cruz tell me to take it? _

I found myself wondering what else was hidden in these drawers. I bit my lip, _this is wrong Bosco, you can't just be going though someone's personal stuff, _a voice told me and then another but in, _Do it, do it Bosco, see what else she has been hiding from you!_ The other hissed. _I have the right to know,_ I thought as I knelt down to the next drawer. I slowly went though the layer of shirts until I found something, taking it out gently I found a picture. _Wow, is that her?_ I asked myself as I examined the three people in the picture. I had never seen Cruz look so, so, _happy,_ before. I wasn't sure where the picture was but it was somewhere downtown Manhattan during the winter by the judge of there clothing. Maritza and her sister were standing somewhere in front of a small fountain. It was weird, almost like the picture was taken for a specific reason, by a tourist or something. No-one usually takes pictures where they live unless there on vacation or what not. Suddenly I felt a wash over of guilt, like someone was watching me and telling me this was all wrong. I stared at the picture for a few seconds, _the two sides of Cruz; I thought as I stood up, closed the drawer and grabbed my coat, slipping the picture in the pocket, I headed out._

I wasn't too sure what I was going to do. Hell, I didn't even know if Cruz was a dealer. I thought I knew her and then just one little thing, which was never brought up, questions everything, my trust for her, my respect. As I sat in my apartment I questioned my relationships between people and realized how much I had never told Cruz along with Faith. _I guess everyone has secrets, right?_

I needed to talk to someone; I needed to get out of my head for just a little. I knew what had to be done, I knew who I had to go talk to, whether I wanted to or not. As I headed up the steps to Faith's complex apartment I wasn't sure what I was going to say. Reaching the door I knocked lightly. A few seconds later I heard her voice, "Hold on!" I looked down the empty hall uncomfortably as the door cracked open.

"Bosco?" She questioned opening the door fully facing me. I observed her for a second. She looked horrible. She crossed her arms across her almost self consciously. The confused look on my face must have been pretty clear as Faith's gaze fell to the ground. My guess, she hadn't slept in days, was suffering from a cold, and had fallen off a ten story building. 

"What happened to you?" I asked her quickly. She looked up quickly to me, her eyes were glossy, they looked almost as if there were holding a stream of tears back from her porcelain cheeks. 

"Nothing, nothing, I'm just tired." She replied to me standing in the door way. My eyes went over her shoulder; no-one seemed to be home. 

"Can we talk?" I hesitated looking back to her with pleading eyes. "Please, Faith."

She shook her head. "Bosco," She started.

"Please, Faith, I really need to talk to someone." I cut her off before she got a chance to turn me down. 

Faith looked away and then to me quickly, almost as if she was thinking about something to shot back at me, "Cruz." She said simply. 

"What?" I looked at her baffled. 

"Go talk to her." She muttered, her face turning sour just saying her name. _Cruz._

_Was she THAT bad?_ I didn't get it, at all, what so ever. It flew high over my head.

"Faith, I need to talk to you!" I said getting more aggravated by the minute. She knew how hard it was for me to open up, and here I was, actually begging her for a chance. She refused.

"I'm busy. You need to figure this out by yourself Bosco, you don't need me, remember?" _She was right. I had told her that I didn't need her anymore. I remembered the hurtful look on her face that day when I told her I was a big boy and she needed to stay out of my business. It was something, something when I started in Anti-Crime, after the stupid fight we had. I couldn't even remember what the fight had been about. All I did remember was the pain I had caused her. _Who was I fooling? This all was my fault. Everything is Bosco.__

"But, Faith," I pleaded as my face met the door. "Damn it!" I hissed lightly under my breath as I banged my fist once on the door with a deep sigh. "Please, give me one more chance, Faith, please." I whispered. I knew well enough she was behind that door listening to every breath I made. Once I heard light footsteps I knew she was gone.

I seem to ruin all the good things in my life, whether its one thing or another, it never seems to work out the way I want it to, no matter how hard I try. I decided not to confront Maritza, I feared what may happen. She was truly capable of making my life a living hell and if she found out I went though her stuff, I might as well die. I realized how easy my life had been in the past few years. I look back now and see how care free I was; I had no major problems to deal with. I had my best friend Faith and a job I enjoyed. Hell I loved being a cop, it was who I was, truly, and I knew that. Transferring to Anti Crime was possibly the worst road I could have taken. Now I was in deep trouble, whether it was about the drugs I had found in my lovers bedroom or the druggies I would still need to deal with. The guys had gotten away, took off like the night once they heard the sirens. Those damn jag-offs think they can hurt someone I care about and get away with it? Who the hell do they think there messing with?

The next day Cruz was discharged from the hospital. The coke had bothered me for too long, I was on edge, breaking. I needed answers and I needed them now. I didn't care if Maritza was ready to talk, I was, and that's all I cared about. Dragging my worn down self out of bed, from lack of sleep, I made myself a cup of coffee, grabbed my coat, and headed out by noon. 

I stood outside her door for a few minutes as I planned though my head what I was about to say. _Come on, you're not going to chicken out now, I told myself as I knocked on her door lightly. Taking a deep breath I waited. _

_No Answer._ Not even a scurry of feet was heard though that door. I knocked again. _Damn it Cruz. _Then it dawned on me that she wasn't home. _Where the hell else would she be?_ I questioned myself waiting there dumbly. After a few minutes passed, I started to get nervous, lost in my train of thoughts. _Was she trying to avoid me?  Gnawing on my bottom lip I tried the knob, to my surprise it was unlocked. Opening the door slowly I gasped at what was revealed before me. My eyes that were once angry and impatient had turned widened in horror and revulsion._


	7. Chapter 2 Part3

Her apartment was seriously trashed. Tables were knocked over spilling contents of drawers to the floor. Everything was moved including her couch and sofa set. Papers were sprawled across the floor, glass picture frames broken revealing the paper photo to the world. Her lamps were wrecked and the TV along with other valuable items, gone. "Holey shit." I hissed in disbelief, I could hardly even distinguish her place. Stepping slowly around the mounds of broken items and knick knacks I headed down the hall way near the kitchen. Again I was faced with disaster. Broken glass covered her floor everywhere from the clattering of dishes and glasses. A small dish fell to the floor and broke into a thousand pieces before me. I jumped at the sound. I was more in shock then anything. _Who the hell would do something like this? Turning away from the kitchen I continued down the hall. _Cruz_ _

"Cruz?!" I started to yell in panic. "Cruz!" I continued as I ran down the hall peering in each door. As I arrived in her bedroom I gazed around from the doorway. "Maritza?" I called my voice getting shakier and shakier by the minute. As I ventured in slowly I tried to push down the lump in my throat. _Oh god… Clothes were spilled from her drawer and wardrobe all over the floor. Useless jewelry that must have had a meaning to her, were thrown around like shit. If someone had broken in, surely, the expensive items were gone. That explained the TV and stereo missing. "Cruz…" I said lowly. A few feet away I noticed a smear of blood on the nightstand out of the corner of my eye. Crawling over the bed quickly I looked down on the other side to see Maritza, lying on her back, surely unconscious. _

"Awe shit!" I cursed as I knelt down by her putting my arm around her back and lifting her up in my arms. She had a large gash on her forehead and her face was bruised badly. "Ritza…?" Once I didn't get a response I immediately grabbed her wrist and checked for a pulse. She had a pulse but it was weak. I put my ear to her chest to hear a small wheezing sound, gasping for small breaths. "Oh god," I muttered fighting back the tears that welt in my eyes. "Cruz." I shook her gently looking down at her in my arms. _I have to get help._ I thought as she started to come around, her eyes slitting open slightly in fear and pain. She didn't move at all. Just laid there like a broken rag doll in my arms struggling to keep her heavy eyes open. "You're going to be okay," I said to her comfortingly as she returned with a confused expression. The usual dark expression was now gone, turned into one full of pain. For a minute she looked like she didn't know who I was, and then I could see it in her eyes. _Its okay, I'm here… I wasn't sure how long she was going to stay with me. I never saw anyone look so helpless in my life. But one thing was for sure, she looked like my ma for a second, her face bruised and dark, someone had beat her, god knows what else. __There going to pay. Grabbing my cell phone out of my pocket I dialed 9-1-1 and waited silently as the sirens came closer. "Ritza, please, stay with me." I said softly looking into her eyes trying to make them lock on mine. "C'mon damn it!" I cursed as she continued to struggle._

"Bos." She managed weakly gasping for a breath as I watched her chest fall. _Please, breathe. Sure enough her chest rose, slowly and not much but it did. I started to panic. __Where the hell were they?! I yelled in my head fiercely, anger filling my head. _If you die, I swear to god! _I thought, feeling quite selfish afterward. __Who had the right to tell someone to not die when here she is, going though so much pain in the world? It wasn't right. I watched her making sure she was breathing. She was slipping out of reality quickly. The door slammed open and I watched as two paramedics pushed me away from her, working diligently to get her to Mercy ASAP. By the time they got her into the bus she was unconscious. Deciding I'd take my car, I followed the bus to Mercy, every thought in my mind trying to relate the beating to the coke. It had to have something in common; either that or it was one strange coincidence. _


	8. Chapter 2 Part4

I followed into the hospital a few minutes later as they took her away through the Administration ONLY doors own Trauma Four. I felt like a mess. _How could something like this happen?_ Sitting down in a chair I ran my hand though my short brown hair frustrated at the entire situation. I thought about if I should call someone. I didn't remember Cruz telling me about any family members. She didn't have anyone, besides me I guess. 

          She had survived, god I don't know how she did it. The doctor came back telling me she had 4 broken ribs, from obviously getting punched. The bruise marks told them all they needed to know. She had suffered a severe concussion as well on top of that. They didn't tell me all that they thought happened and told me to go home. They wouldn't allow me to even see her, refused to make sure myself that she was alive.  So I decided not to put up a fight, left my number, and left.

          The next day I took off and fled to the hospital. After pestering the doctors and nurses to see Cruz they reluctantly allowed me in intensive care. Entering her room slowly I walked over to her motionless body and observed her not being able to recall when she looked so horrible. Both eyes were bruised badly, her face darkened, her eyes were shut. I could tell she was breathing lightly by herself now. Pulling up a chair beside her bed I sat there staring at her. That was enough for me, I didn't do much else. I didn't know what else to do, fearing if I touched her she would die. I passed out a few minutes later.

          "Bos." I heard a voice crackle as I came back to reality slipping myself up in the chair. Her eyes were open, staring at me, her lips parted. 

"Hey." I whispered as I pulled the chair to her bedside, "How you holding up?" 

          "What happened?" Cruz asked quickly her eyes narrowed at me waiting for an answer that I could not give.

"Someone broke into your place. You were pretty, beat up." I said to say the least. 

Maritza stared at me blankly, her expression puzzled, then suddenly it grew into one of anger and rage, "That son of a bitch!" She cursed loudly causing her to cough. I nearly fell back at this comment, not expecting her to start screaming. 

"What? Who did this to you?" I asked quickly standing up. _They were going to pay. Then I remembered the coke I had found at her place. __Bad timing to ask don't you think?_

"Ray." She said simply. "I'm going to kill him. I'm going to friggen kill him!"  Cruz continued to rant. 

"Shh…shh keep it down. Ray? Ray who?" I questioned her as I leaned close to her. "Tell me who" 

Cruz just stared at me, her face twisted to hatred. She fell silent. "You…you went to my place…in my drawer. You know." She hissed at me. 

I swallow hard and nodded at her slowly. "Yes. I didn't want to ask you right now." 

"You want to know though right? What I'm doing with it?" She continued to ask. I hesitated.

"Let me call a nurse…Cruz, you need your rest." I said as I turned away from her however a slight touch on my arm stopped me.

"It's my little insurance policy." Cruz whispered as I turned around, staring down at her. "That's what Ray was looking for, that's what he took. I wasn't about to give it away without a fight." 

"And go damn it Cruz! You nearly died!" I exploded in selfishness. 

"Bosco, you don't get it," She paused looking at me sadly, "you never will." She hissed lowly at me.

Another few weeks passed and I hadn't spoken to Cruz or Faith. Life was messed up, that was for sure. I missed Faith, missed the friendship we had, and missed us working together. The month Cruz stayed on recovery; I had to cover both of our asses in ACU (Anti Crime Unit). I was almost sure Lieu was going to transfer me back to 5-5 David, and in a way, that's what I wanted, however, he didn't. The next few weeks I spent my days doing paperwork, and a new drug dealing circle that was going on. Cruz was missing out on a lot of fun. I had so much unfinished business to do; I truly wasn't sure where to start.  

One night at my place I decided to call Faith. I hadn't talked to her in nearly a month now, and the only time I saw here was every so often in the locker room. I wasn't sure how she was feeling, if she ever wanted to even talk to me again. I waited until I heard a voice on the other end answered, "Hello?"

"Hey, Faith, it's me." I said into the receiver. 

"Oh. Hi," Faith replied simply. _Silence._

"How you doing?" I asked her, my voice soft.

"Alright, you?"

"Yeah…Things could be better though." I spoke. _More silence._

"Bosco," She spoke up suddenly, "Why did you call?" 

"I need to know, Faith, if things are over between us." I replied after a pause. _Good job Boz._

"Things change Bos. People change, relationships change." Faith told me. 

"But is that it? We were best friends Faith," I paused, "You were my best friend." 

"You were mine too. But that's _how things were. Things have changed, a lot." Faith told me. "You can't dwell on the past Bosco, you have to pick yourself up and move on with your life. I'm not your mother anymore."_

Tears were ripping at my eyes. I wanted to tell Faith, tell her how much she meant to me but no words came out.

"You have your entire life ahead of you Bosco, don't waste it." She told me.

"Faith…" I cried.

"You have changed so much since the first time we met; you've grown from an immature kid to a wise man. My work is done. I want the best for you Bosco, and everything I told you and did for you, was always true." Faith explained to me. I swear she was choking on tears herself. _Why were we crying? I did nothing more then try to silent my tears. We both knew it was over. "I'll always be there for you Bosco, but you can't keep running back to me to fix your problems. I know you can do it yourself."_

"I have no-body else Faith." I choked though my tears. "You are the only one I have. You could never compare to Cruz! And you know that"

"I know." She paused, "You're going to be fine Bosco. If you ever need to talk, I'm here. I got to go. Take care of yourself." 

"Bye." I said and with that 'we' were over. I knew we would never be the same again. Maybe she was right, as much as I dreaded it, I was going to be fine. 


	9. Chapter 3 part1

NOTE: Sorry this chapter is short!

I had enough stress but for some reason I felt a whole lot lifted off of my shoulders after my talk with Faith. I didn't want to believe we were over but that was the truth. I screwed a lot of things up in my life but this must have been the most stupidest I ever did, my friendship, loyalty, and trust with my best friend. Now I had Cruz to worry about. She was right; I would never understand what she was doing with dope. Her little insurance policy, what the hell did that mean? Faith had told me, told me about her reputation on the street about the 'two bags' of Cruz. Was Faith right? I had doubted her because I didn't want to believe it but now everything seems so much clearer. I don't know Cruz like I thought I did and that was damn straight the truth. Why she had never told me was beyond my knowledge. 

Somehow I found myself still in anti crime, working a double shift while Cruz was out. I guess word gets out quickly when a sergeant is in the hospital, I heard a lot of rumors that Cruz wasn't coming back. I hadn't seen Cruz for a few days now and wasn't too sure what the hell was going on. Cruz had told me about some Ray guy who was the one who had broken into her place. No-one was ever caught as a suspect, actually, come to think about it, no-one really went out looking for him. I guess they tried to keep it quiet. No-one wanted to bring attention to an Anti Crime officers fault. I don't think Cruz would tell anyone about her 'insurance policy'. Why she told me, god knows why. What I could guess was that she just told them it was a robbery gone bad.

I was finally getting use to Anti Crime and was finally becoming adjusted to my new life. I had finally moved on from begging for forgiveness from Faith. I, Maurice Boscorelli, had changed. Everything seemed so much better, little did I know, things were all about to change. All I wanted was to go visit my mom at her bar before I hit the sack and maybe give Maritza a call to see when she'd be back. She got out of the hospital a day earlier and I was almost definite there would be a message waiting for me on my answer machine when I got home. Little did I know, I wouldn't be checking that anytime soon.

Heading down the steps from the station, I sighed with relief from another long boring day of nothing but paperwork, I dug my hands low into my pockets as I walked down the dim street. I was still cooped up at the desk on the case that caused Cruz to get shot in the first place. Those guys had gotten away, god knows who they were, and what they were doing by now. Just another two jag-offs that are a plain waste of air. I wasn't a sweet breathe of sunshine as I left the building deciding to walk off the days stress. A few cars passed but other then that, it was a pretty damn slow night. Something seemed wrong as I took a short cut down a small alley for Arthur. I felt like I was being watched. Spinning around I glanced around a bit nervous. 

"Hello?" My voice seemed to echo though the alley. "You're losing it Bosco." I told myself as I shook my head lowly and continued down the passage way, the street slowly coming into view. The dusty smell from the alley lingered in my nose as I brushed my short hair back with my hand. I heard loud footsteps coming from behind me. Before I knew what happened I felt a sharp hard metallic object slam into my head causing me to loose consciousness and slip to the ground in total darkness.

TBC…. Thanks to all those who reviewed and have been patient. I've been working on several other fics that I haven't added yet to the database. I really wasn't going to continue on this story since I really didn't know where I was going with it, but now I may have a few tricks up my sleeve. Please email me (snowflakeangel01@yahoo.com) if you'd like to read my other Bosco based fics. I'm NOT a Faith/Bosco shipper but tend to use a Bosco/Faith friendship in most along with evil Cruz who I just love to write about. Anymore comments PLEASE email me or leave some reviews. 

You don't review, and then you won't get another chapter. 


	10. Chapter 3 Part 2

WARNING: The rating of this story has now been changed to R strictly for profanity. I wanted to be on the safe side here.

Darkness, a state of loneliness and pain. That scent, that oh so familiar aroma lingered in my nose for such a long time. I cringed thinking about how it was going to stay with me for a long time. That was the least of my problems. I was in a meth lab, it was pretty easy to figure out. Slipping my eyes open to some more darkness, it wasn't much lighter then my eye lids. My head was throbbing once again, but this time, it was more of an aching lingering sensation. A large smack over the head on top of a concussion wasn't all too great. The last I remembered was walking down the alley and some jag off hitting me over the damn head. 

"That bitch's alive. Damnit, Ray, shes still alive I told ya! What the fuck we doing with this bastard?" A voice echoed though the room. _God, speak English, who are they talking about?_ My head didn't want to think nor comprehend what was happening. I was in some sort of room, my hands tied around my back. I swore as I fought the ties, not resulting in more then raw wrists. 

"I told ya three times Freddie! How many more times do I gotta tell ya that this son of a bitch is our pawn already" Another voice replied. They sounded way too familiar. 

_Pawn?_ What the hell was going on?_ Was this about the coke? Cruz's insurance policy? I groaned lightly as I continued fighting with the ties restraining my hands behind my back. It was hot. Really hot. Almost as hot as it was during the fire. If they were setting this place in flames, I was in big trouble alright. I could feel cold sweat trickle down the side of my face, down my cheekbone, as I shuddered. Not sure if I wanted them to know I was awake I stayed silent and listened, my ears alert._

"Why would she do anything for this jack ass. He aint worth nothing. I doubt she gonna give up some more dope for this bastard." Freddie protested to Ray, "I'm telling ya! This was a bad idea. If the cops show up, we going to jail! We got away once ya know!" He continued ranting.

_Bingo. Lightbulb. Ding dong! It clicked; these two bastards were the guys that had shot Cruz in the first place!_ _I'd bet my life that these two knuckleheads were the ones who had broken into her apartment and trashed the whole place. _

"Jesus Christ! Shut up already, ya going to wake um up!" Ray yelled at Freddie. Good thing the two voices were easy to distinguish, one was much higher then the others. 

Foot steps echoed into my room as a intense light flashed on blinding my eyes for a matter of a minute. Struggling to see there faces, sure enough they were the same guys. "you fucking bastards!" I spat angrily at them. Freddie, the small one stared at me with big swollen eyes, surely for not having there line or fix that morning.

"Shut the fuck up!" Ray yelled as he thundered deeper into the small room that resembled much like the room I was in with Cruz, several weeks ago. He held quite a large rifle in his right hand. "Officer Boscorelli isn't it?" He chuckled as he stood in front of me. "Big old' Officer Boscorelli!" He chuckled. 

"You fucking son of a bitch!" I spat after spitting a hulk of phlegm at him, falling a few inches away from his shoe.

His fist collided with my jaw as I flinched in pain.

          "Now now Boscorelli, you going to do what we tell ya to do or what?" Ray muttered back at him after examining his fist, almost like it hurt as much as my face did. Fucking wimp had nothing better to do. 

          "What the fuck do you want? Huh?! What the fuck do you want with me?!" I continued. I felt like gagging when a small smirk crossed Ray's face. Freddie sunk back into the shadows and disappeared slowly, an aggravated frown on his face. Ray chuckled lightly, his voice cracking. I cringed.

          "Cruz." 

_TBC….Keep the reviews coming!!_


	11. Chapter 3 Part3

"Awe come on Boscorelli, you know she carries don't yah?" Ray mocked me.

"Fuck you jag-offs!" I cursed at them. Sure, I knew, I had just found out myself, to my surprise. All she had to do was plant a little coke on some dime bag to get them under her thumb, probably to hold them over and give her the information she wanted as well. 

Ray turned away and walked out the door, slamming it across the room. Freddie leaned on the wall, his beady eyes watching me.

I closed my eyes, my head continued to throb badly. I suddenly wished I was dead.

"Buddy boy, ya better give Ray what he wants," Freddie said lowly and hesitated, "ya in big trouble, and ya girl too!" He finished. I opened my eyes staring at him in disbelief. Something had to be wrong with this guy, maybe he was slow or something, surely not all there in the head. Maybe he lost too many brain cells smoking pot.

"Yeah? What the hell is he going to do? Give me a beating?" I scowled back at him.

"Yah. Maybe. He'll bust ya and then shoot ya brains out. But he won't until ya do what he wants." Freddie continued stupidly. _Too bad Ray wasn't here. He'd be the one getting a god damn beating._

"What the hell does he want me to do then? Huh? Tell me then damn it!" I yelled at him, my blood was in a rage now; it was ready to boil over.

 Freddie looked at me with a stupid expression. "Uhh…I aint suppose to tell ya." 

"Of course you aint you dumb ass!" I mocked at him with a sarcastic tone. Was this guy brainless or what?  

The door swung back open a minute after the room fell to complete silence. I could hear a few cars go by near the building, where ever I was. The room appeared to have no windows which really wasn't going to help me.

"Ready to play nice?" Ray muttered as he entered the room, checking the bullets in a .22 pistol. I saw the gun and cursed, _awe shit, Bosco. I remained silent as he dug around in his pocket pulling out a cell phone. "You're going to call your girl friend and drag her into this mess, or do you really think she'll help ya?" The guy said as he walked over to my side._

"Fuck you! Leave her the fuck out of this!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

"This is all about her you know. She should have left you out of this." Ray interrupted by holding the gun to the side of my head, right above my left ear. The barrel was ice cold and it sent a thousand chills though my head. 

I grinded my teeth in frustration, "What do you want me to say?" I started. I knew if I didn't play along, my brains would no longer be above my shoulders. I didn't know what to do and a part of me was scared as ever. The other side wanted to kick these two guys ass but there was no way I would be breaking loose any time soon. 

"Tell her to meet you at the corner of King and Arthur. I don't care what the hell you say as long as you get her to go there! Got it? And anything funny, any clue that you are in deep shit and I blow your brains out!" Ray yelled at me, digging the nose into my temple harder, his voice growing louder and angrier by the moment.  
  


"Go to hell!" I scowled as Ray clutched my throat with his free hand. Wheezing for a breath his face turned red. 

"What did you say?" He continued tightening his grip on my wind pipe. 

Freddie whimpered in the corner but didn't move. "Ray! Ray don't kill um! He aint worth it." 

_Son of a bitch. I could feel myself turning blue, not getting oxygen I wondered if it was all going to end. _

"I'll do it!" I gasped as he let go of me, the gun still digging into my head. I coughed roughly, wheezing for air. 

          "That's what I thought…" Ray said his voice much calmer then it was earlier. I could feel him fiddling with the ties around my wrist. He let one go and tied the other back up making the blood loose circulation.

          "Damnit." I muttered observing my raw wrist that was now nearly bleeding from the struggle I had put up with earlier. Ray gave me the phone in my hand before slapping me over the head as I looked back up to him with a confused expression, about to play dumb.

          "Call her. NOW!" He yelled at me and kicked the chair, only he missed and hit my shin. 

          I bit back another response and yelp at the pain which surely would have gotten me a beating and dialed her number slowly, looking up at Ray and then to Freddie occasionally. All eyes were on me. I didn't know whether I should call the wrong number or what. The last thing I wanted to do was get Cruz stuck with these jackass's. Then we both were trapped. I had no choice. I had to figure out something to say, that she would know, I had to talk to her in a secret language or something. I cursed in my head for not knowing Spanish all to well or I may be able to ramble off a quick phrase which would stump dumb and dumber. A moment later, which seemed like days in my head, the phone rang, I held my breath, and a familiar voice answered.

          "Hello?"

TBC…I'm going away and won't be able to update until the end of this week. Make sure to leave some great reviews for when I get back so I can post the next chapter! Sorry!


	12. Chapter 3 Part 4

          Note: The rating still applies. Hope you enjoy! Sorry it's so short. Next one will be longer, hopefully…J

          "Cruz, it's me." I replied to her dryly. Ray dug his gun further into my flesh, finding a tense spot, I flinched. "Bosco…it's Bosco." I continued trying to get the tension off me; it hurt like a bitch already without the pressure. 

          "Yeah…I know." Maritza said wryly into the receiver, her voice on the edge of annoyance and aggravation "I left you a message when I got out." 

          "Err…I didn't go home yet." I muttered after a moment thinking how I was going to play my cards and clue her in to what was going on. "How you holding up?" I asked trying to sound concerned, maybe to get on her good side.

          "Fine…where are you?"

          "Uhh…" I hesitated nervously not knowing what to say. "I'm at Haggerty's. Yeah…getting a drink."

          "Oh? I thought you were going to stop by at the end of shift. It's nearly one and you woke me up." She said irritated by me waking her up most likely. Well, I would be too at 1 in the morning.

          "Yeah…umm how bout you meet me at the corner of King and Arthur? We can grab a drink and then go to my place." I choked out hopefully feeling damn guilty for what I was doing. I prayed in my mind that she wouldn't buy it and refuse to leave.

          "Umm…Bosco…its 1 in the fucking morning. You want to meet me now?"

          _Damn it! Say no, you won't meet me and hang up!_  "Err...yeah...I need to talk to you, Ritza at 10:13" I gagged out as the gun inched deeper into my skin. I bit my tongue holding back a groan from the pain.

          "What?" She asked quickly, "10-13?"

          "Yes, Cruz, 10:13 in the morning…you can leave my place at 10:13! Cruz! 10-13!" I yelled as the phone was ripped out of my hand and fell to the floor, the gun now in the center of my forehead. 

          "What the fuck you doing Boscorelli? You talking some code or something?!" Ray yelled. "I don't like smart ass's like you! You know what I do with smart asses huh? You know what I do with um?" Holding my breath I knew pretty well that if I pushed this Ray guy over edge, I was a dead man. 

          "No…no…I was being honest…Really I was. I know, I know, you kill them! You fucking bastard!" I cursed at him at the top of my lungs grinding my teeth in frustration. _Please Cruz, be listening. Don't hang up!_

          "Yeah…you're right! I shoot there brains out!" Ray yelled back at me before whacking me over the back of my head roughly and walking away. 

          "Now what Ray?" Freddie asked stupidly again hovering in the corner.

"Come on Freddie, let's go pick up the tramp." He said and with that he was gone. Freddie looked at me and disappeared soon after. If Cruz still was on the line, he was damn stupid to not check the phone. My eyes darted to the phone a few feet away and then back to the door. I could hear a loud car start and I tried to reach for the phone with my free hand before tipping the chair slightly and leaning back not wanting to be flat on my face when the jackasses came back. _Jag off forgot to tie my hand back too! _

          "Cruz! Cruz! Damn it!" I cursed. "Don't go there! Don't fucking go!" I screamed once I was pretty sure dumb and dumber were gone. "Don't go…" I said lowly to myself before rolling my head back and staring at the ceiling. Nothing else could be done, everything was out of my hands, and I felt, so helpless. Everything was caving in, my world, my reality, my existence.

TBC…


	13. Chapter 4 Part1

Rating changed back to PG-13 for this chapter. Yay!

          The next few hours were muffled with silence. Not knowing what was going on was killing me. I heard several cars honking at each other once in a while; I heard a siren or so one in a blue moon. Every time I had high hopes that Cruz had understood what I was talking about and called in EMS. My luck, she didn't. I heard a door open and was once again blinded by the light. 

          "We made the catch of the day this time Ray!" Freddie's dopey voice came in as he headed into the room in front of Cruz who Ray was pushing in.

          "Screw you," Cruz spat at Freddie right before Ray pushed her roughly several feet to my right, collapsing into the wall. "You stole what I had, and you come crawling back for more!" I watched her as she spoke. She hadn't even acknowledged me. 

           Grabbing her wrists, Ray's eyes filled with anger, "Awe come on 'two bags', we know you have some more up your sleeve and until you give it to us or tell us where the hell you hid it, you and you're little friend aren't going anywhere!" He spat before pushing her back into the wall and heading out. "Ill be keeping an eye on you two. Freddie, lets go!" And both druggies disappeared behind the door.

          "Are you seriously stupid?" I said disgustedly staring at her pertaining to the hints I had given her during the phone call.

          "Listen," She hissed walking towards me kneeling so we were pretty much face to face. "I called in the station." She said with a pause, not much more then a whisper, "There was no way in hell you would be calling me in the middle of the night anyway! I had a few cars down the street. Pretty sure they followed us 'ere…they should be here any minute after they call in EMS for backup. I aint stupid, I got the whole 10-13 thing. Pretty clever" Cruz continued untying my raw wrists from the rope.

"I really hope so."  Examining them as she set them free I traced a finger along my right, flinching on how cut the skin was. "Do you have any idea where we are?" I continued looking up at her curiously.

"My guess is somewhere down West Harlem, they did knock me out you know." Cruz replied before fiddling with something under her over large coat.

Watching her for a second with a confused expression, "What the hell you doing?" I asked.

"I'm stripping, what do you think?" Cruz replied sarcastically with a smirk before drawing out a small .38 hand pistol. "Didn't even check me…dumb asses" She replied.

"Huh." I said with a distant smile, quite impressed. For some reason, right then and there I admired her. She had the courage to set this whole thing up and possibly put her own life on the line to get these guys. I don't even know if I would have done that.  Standing up every single bone was aching like hell, trying to ignore it I turned to her. "So what do we do now?"

Not even able to reply several sirens were heard in the distance and Cruz's attention turned away from me to the do as it swung open and an angry Ray stood in the doorway, with his trusty side kick, Freddie on the side, both holding large machine guns. How did it suddenly feel like this had happened, not so long ago?

TBC…Sorry for the shortness and lack of updating! I've been pretty busy. Another chapter will be up as soon as I get some reviews!


	14. Chapter 4 Part2

"You piece of crap set us up!" Ray yelled loudly cocking his gun from Cruz to me, eyeing Cruz's gun which was now out a set on him.  

          "Listen…put the gun down." Cruz replied, her eyes flickered from is large gun which was now aimed at her to his angry face. "Look…we can settle this." She tried to negotiate. 

          My heart raced quickly as I grinded my teeth wishing to god I had my own gun. Two machine guns verse one .38 doesn't look all too good in my perspective. The sirens grew louder quickly sounding like they were just outside the window. _Oh god…hurry_ up damn it! We need help now!__

          "No! No we can't!" Ray yelled back at Cruz his eyes filled with frenzy and rage. "And you bastard," He paused turning to me, "What did you tell her huh? Something in a code or shit?"

          My stomach twisted into a knot at those words as Ray's gun was now settled at me. Straight at my head, eye level to the nose. There was nothing more to do then stand there and wait. "No. No. I-we didn't do anything! Honest to god. They must have realized we were missing. And since we were dealing with you two jag-offs, they got a clue." I lied though my teeth. 

          "Likely story, well, now you both will be sorry," Ray said. My eyes flickered to Cruz quickly and then back to Ray not knowing what the hell to do. It wasn't like you can run or hide anywhere, they were blocking out our only exit. And the only materialistic thing in the room was a few card board boxes and a chair that wasn't going to help when you have fifteen bullets soaring in your direction at once. 

          "Ray…don't kill um. If ya do, what we gonna do then huh? The police are coming. I don't wanna go to then slammer Ray. I wont last there long! You know what they do to people like us?" Freddie's wimpy voice chimed in one breath. _What a mouth full. _Ray turned his head towards Freddie, a pure pissed expression coaxed his face, his gun still in position.

          "Don't tell me what to do or Ill shoot ya brains out as well!" He yelled back causing Freddie to shudder and lower his gun. Why, I didn't have a clue. At least we were dealing with one dumb ass. _Could be worse._ Ray looked back at me and Cruz with a small smirk that would be plastered into my brain forever_, a haunting image._ "Notice how we always win? This position is just so similar from the last. This time, you aint coming out of this alive. You were lucky last time. Now your luck has worn thin. But I gave ya a warning. Don't say I didn't."

          "Look! I told yah! You took it all!" Cruz pleaded not knowing what more to do, her color drained out of her face. This was the first time in a long time I had seen her wear a nervous expression. Even the tone and shakiness of her voice told me she was terrified, almost as scared as me. And now there was nothing to do about it. She was telling the truth.

          "Sure." Ray said simply nodding insanely. "And now, your friend's going to have to pay!" He yelled his gun aimed at me. "Too bad. Too sad it had to be this way." Ray made sure it was fully loaded and cocked it at me._ That once noise that played over and over in my ears._

          "Don't shoot!" Cruz's voice filled with fear and horror echoed in my head as both guns went off in the matter of two damn seconds. Then the only thing that surrounded me was silence and the scent of blood. I was completely numb.

TBC… Okay! I'm sorry. It's really short. Don't you like my endings? The last chapter will be up soon! Keep reviewing.


	15. Chaper 4 Part 3 The End

Here's the last chapter. Enjoy!!! =) Short and Sweet!

Her funeral service was held a few days later. It had never rained so hard in months. Everyone stood in the pouring rain for nearly an hour. There was a decent amount of officers who had attended, though not many people knew her too well. It was an act of respect I guess.

I couldn't bring myself to actually believe she was dead, so the service was more like a slap in the face then anything else. EMS busted into the warehouse several seconds later after the shooting but by that time, it was way late. She was shot two times in the chest. I was pretty much in shock that I was still standing. I swear Ray was going to kill me in my cold blood. I guess he thought this would be more harmful to me. The truth was I was watching her die, _and for what? I'm not a bad person. I'm really not. I did my best to help her in her last few minutes on this world though it didn't do much. I wanted her to know I was there. That was all. Cruz had made it to the hospital which really shocked the hell out of me. I knew she was strong and I still had that little bit of hope. But several minutes later, she gave up the fight to go on._

I keep having nightmares, whenever I close my eyes. Now I'm too the point where I cant sleep, and really don't want to. That night won't stop replaying in my mind. The last words that were exchanged and those damn gun shots. Cruz had shot Freddie but not before he got a chance to fire his own gun, the one that would surely defeat a .38 bullet. It didn't seem fair. Cruz had fell to the floor and that's when I had realized it was now my turn, I was the one looking down the nose of the gun. He didn't even get a chance to kill me, the EMS had beat him to it and shot him dead in his tracks. The gun dropped out of his hand and clattered to the floor along with his body. I was happy that bullet _didn't_ kill him. I wanted him to _suffer_. Dieing was just way too easy. By the time I got over to Cruz she was struggling to remain conscious. She hadn't held on too long, just enough to watch Ray fall and me at her side. I knew _she was gone _right there.

          Freddie and Ray were both charged for manslaughter and Ray will be in the slammer for life. His trial for the death sentence should be in several months.  Freddie, because he did have a mental illness will be out in several years, why that's an excuse, is way beyond my knowledge.  

          Faith called the day before her funeral to see how I was doing. I was pretty shocked as hell to even hear from her. I figured she heard what happened though Swersky. I mean, we were over. We talked for a half hour or so, not about one thing in particular, just about how both of our lives were doing. Fortunately, her life seemed to be going a lot better then mine. She told me she was sorry for everything that had happened between her and me, and about Cruz. It didn't seem to do much, and yet, it seemed to mend some broken ties. I could tell by the tone of her voice, she felt bad for me. I'd bet my life she was happy though. 

          A lot of things brought me back to the last few months and how fast so many things had changed, partners, friendships, and even lives. Never in a million years would I have thought this would all be possible, and now I was living it. I guess life strikes you out sometimes either way you go. It's just a simple moral that everybody learns, in one way, or another.

-The end

Thanks to all who reviewed. I hope you enjoyed this story and look for more to come by me! 

-Nikki


End file.
